History of the Colosseum or Flavian Amphitheater The Colosseum or Flavian Amphitheater is one of the most well-known of the ancient Roman structures because so much of it still remains. Meaning: Amphitheater comes from the Greek amphi ~ on both sides and theatron ~ semicircular viewing place or theater. An Improvement Over the Existing Design The Circus The Colosseum in Rome is an amphitheater. It was developed as an improvement over the differently shaped but similarly used Circus Maximus , for gladiatorial combats, wild beast fights (venationes), and mock naval battles (naumachiae). Spine: Elliptical in shape, the circus had a fixed central divider called a spina down the middle, which was useful in chariot races , but got in the way during fights. Viewing: In addition, the spectators' view was limited in the circus. The amphitheater put spectators on all sides of the action. Flimsy Early Amphitheaters In 50 B.C., C. Scribonius Curio built the first amphitheater in Rome to stage his father's funeral games.

continue reading below our video 10 Facts About the Titanic That You Don't Know Curio's amphitheater and the next one, built in 46 B.C., by Julius Caesar , were made of wood. The weight of the spectators was at times too great for the wooden structure and, of course, the wood was easily destroyed by fire. Stable Amphitheater The Emperor Augustus designed a more substantial amphitheater to stage venationes, but it wasn't until the Flavian emperors, Vespasian and Titus, that the enduring, limestone, brick, and marble Amphitheatrum Flavium (aka Vespasian's Amphitheater) was built. "The construction utilized a careful combination of types: concrete for the foundations, travertine for the piers and arcades, tufa infill between piers for the walls of the lower two levels, and brick-faced concrete used for the upper levels and for most of the vaults." Great Buildings Online - Roman Colosseum The amphitheater was dedicated in A.D. 80, in a ceremony lasting a hundred days, with the slaughter of 5000 sacrificial animals.

The amphitheater may not have been finished, however, until the reign of Titus' brother Domitian. Lightning damaged the amphitheater, but later emperors repaired and maintained it until the games were ended in the sixth century. Source of the Name Colosseum The medieval historian Bede applied the name Colosseum (Colyseus) to the Amphitheatrum Flavium, possibly because the amphitheater -- which had taken back the pond on the land Nero had devoted to his extravagant golden palace ( domus aurea ) -- stood beside a colossal statue of Nero. This etymology is disputed. Size of the Flavian Amphitheater The tallest Roman structure , the colosseum was about 160 feet high and covered about six acres. Its long axis is 188m and its short, 156m. Construction used 100,000 cu. meters of travertine (like the cella of the Temple of Hercules Victor ), and 300 tons of iron for clamps, according to Filippo Coarelli in Rome and Environs.

Although all the seats are gone, at the end of the 19th century , the seating potential was calculated and the figures are generally accepted. There were likely 87,000 seats in 45-50 rows inside the colosseum. Coarelli says social standing determined seating, so those rows closest to the action were reserved for the senatorial classes, whose special seats were inscribed with their names and made of marble. Women were separated at public events from the time of the earliest emperor, Augustus. The Romans probably held mock sea battles in the Flavian Amphitheater. Vomitoria There were 64 numbered doors to let spectators in and out that were called vomitoria. N.B.: Vomitoria were exits, not places spectators regurgitated the contents of their stomachs to facilitate binge eating and drinking. People vomited forth, so to speak, from the exits. Other Noteworthy Aspects of the Colosseum There were substructures under the fighting area that may have been animal dens or channels for water for or from the mock naval battles. It is hard to determine how the Romans produced venationes and naumachiae on the same day.

A removable awning called velarium provided the spectators with shade from the sun. The outside of the Flavian amphitheater has three rows of arches, each built according to a different order of architecture, Tuscan (the simplest, Doric, but with an Ionic base), on the ground level, then Ionic, and then the most ornate of the three Greek orders, the Corinth ian. The vaults of the Colosseum were both barrel and groined (where barrel arches intersect each other at right angles). The core was concrete, with the exterior covered in cut stone. Colosseum - Ancient History - HISTORY.com Google Origins of the Colosseum Even after the decadent Roman emperor Nero took his own life in A.D. 68, his misrule and excesses fueled a series of civil wars. No fewer than four emperors took the throne in the tumultuous year after Nero’s death; the fourth, Vespasian, would end up ruling for 10 years (A.D. 69-79).

The Flavian emperors, as Vespasian and his sons Titus (79-81) and Domitian (81-96) were known, attempted to tone down the excesses of the Roman court, restore Senate authority and promote public welfare. Around 70-72, Vespasian returned to the Roman people the lush land near the center of the city, where Nero had built an enormous palace for himself after a great fire ripped through Rome in A.D. 64. On the site of that Golden Palace, he decreed, would be built a new amphitheater where the public could enjoy gladiatorial combats and other forms of entertainment. Did You Know? Archaeologists believe that the Colosseum contained both drinking fountains and latrines. After nearly a decade of construction–a relatively quick time period for a project of such a grand scale–Titus officially dedicated the Colosseum in A.D. 80 with a festival including 100 days of games. A well-loved ruler, Titus had earned his people’s devotion with his handling of recovery efforts after the infamous eruption of Vesuvius in A.D.

79, which destroyed the towns of Herculaneum and Pompeii . The final stages of construction of the Colosseum were completed under the reign of Titus’ brother and successor, Domitian. The Colosseum: A Grand Amphitheater Measuring some 620 by 513 feet (190 by 155 meters), the Colosseum was the largest amphitheater in the Roman world. Unlike many earlier amphitheaters, which had been dug into hillsides to provide adequate support, the Colosseum was a freestanding structure made of stone and concrete. The distinctive exterior had three stories of arched entrances–a total of around 80–supported by semi-circular columns. Each story contained columns of a different order (or style): At the bottom were columns of the relatively simple Doric order, followed by Ionic and topped by the ornate Corinthian order. Located just near the main entrance to the Colosseum was the Arch of Constantine, built in A.D. 315 in honor of Constantine I’s victory over Maxentius at Pons Milvius.

Inside, the Colosseum had seating for more than 50,000 spectators, who may have been arranged according to social ranking but were most likely packed into the space like sardines in a can (judging by evidence from the seating at other Roman amphitheaters). Awnings were unfurled from the top story in order to protect the audience from the hot Roman sun as they watched gladiatorial combats, hunts, wild animal fights and larger combats such as mock naval engagements (for which the arena was flooded with water) put on at great expense. The vast majority of the combatants who fought in front of Colosseum audiences in Ancient Rome were men (though there were some female gladiators). Gladiators were generally slaves, condemned criminals or prisoners of war. The Colosseum Over the Centuries The Colosseum saw some four centuries of active use, until the struggles of the Western Roman Empire and the gradual change in public tastes put an end to gladiatorial combats and other large public entertainments by the 6th century A.D. Even by that time, the arena had suffered damaged due to natural phenomena such as lightning and earthquakes.

In the centuries to come, the Colosseum was abandoned completely, and used as a quarry for numerous building projects, including the cathedrals of St. Peter and St. John Lateran, the Palazzo Venezia and defense fortifications along the Tiber River. Beginning in the 18th century, however, various popes sought to conserve the arena as a sacred Christian site, though it is in fact uncertain whether early Christian martyrs met their fate in the Colosseum, as has been speculated. By the 20th century, a combination of weather, natural disasters, neglect and vandalism had destroyed nearly two-thirds of the original Colosseum, including all of the arena’s marble seats and its decorative elements. Restoration efforts began in the 1990s, and have proceeded over the years, as the Colosseum continues to be a leading attraction for tourists from all over the world.

Tags Flavian Amphitheatre - Pozzuoli, Italy - History and Visitor Information Site information Flavian Amphitheatre HISTORY The Flavian Amphitheatre (Amphitheatre Flavium) in Pozzuoli was constructed during the reign of the Emperor Vespasian, probably in around 70AD. Vespasian, who was the first Flavian dynasty emperor, built this vast amphitheatre – the third largest in Ancient Rome after those of Rome and Capua – in Pozzuoli as it was at an important crossroad. Later damaged by ash and rubble from the eruption of the Solfatara volcano, Pozzuoli’s Flavian Amphitheatre lay abandoned and was used as a quarry for its marble. Nevertheless, when it was excavated in the nineteenth century, archaeologists found the Flavian Amphitheatre in a very good state of preservation, with many of its walls and floors intact. However, one of the key highlights of a trip to the Flavian Amphitheatre is the fact that you can explore the underbelly of this once-thriving stadium and wander through the rooms and chambers below the arena itself.

It is even possible to see the quarters in which the gladiators themselves would have prepared for their contests. This amazing set of underground corridors and passageways remains in an excellent state of preservation and gives a genuine glimpse into the amphitheatre's past . Today, the Flavian Amphitheatre operates as a popular destination for those who visit the (now dormant) Solfatara volcano and the local area. View of the Flavian Amphitheater, called the Colosseum from The Views of Rome | Emory | Michael C. Carlos Museum View of the Flavian Amphitheater, called the Colosseum from The Views of Rome Giovanni Battista Piranesi (Italian, 1720-1778), 1761 Etching 1997.6 Art History Department Fund Eighteenth-century travelers on the Grand Tour returned home laden with souvenirs, especially Piranesi’s views of the monuments of Rome. Piranesi produced the series of one hundred and thirty five prints, the Vedute di Roma, over the course of thirty years, from around 1748 until his death in 1778.

In this view Piranesi gives the monument its proper name, the Flavian Amphitheater. As the first member of the Flavian dynasty, Vespasian (69-79 AD) brought peace to the city after the year of chaos following Nero’s suicide that had seen three successive emperors come briefly to power and then die violently. One of his first acts was to begin construction of the amphitheater. The Colosseum (a name acquired sometime in the Middle Ages because of a giant statue known as the Colossus which stood nearby) was the largest amphitheater in the Roman world and a model for others built throughout the Empire. Completed in 80 AD by Vespasian’s son Titus (79-81), the arena was a place where emperor and citizens came together to enjoy the bloody entertainments favored by the Romans: gladiatorial combats, public executions, and wild beast hunts. Piranesi made four vedute of the amphitheater for this series. In this, the second view, Piranesi renders a darkly bulging “closeup” of the northern outer wall in a distorted perspective that emphasizes its volume.

In spite of this dramatic treatment, the structure and its details (i.e., the orders of the columns that flank the arches on each level—Tuscan, Ionic, Corinthian, with Corinthian pilasters on the very top or attic story) are clearly legible. How did the Colosseum Get its Name? - KissFromItaly | Italy tours How did the Colosseum Get its Name? Previous Next The History of the Name "Colosseum" May Surpsise You! The Colosseum is an iconic symbol of Rome, both past and present, is a UNESCO world heritage site, and one of the New 7 Wonders of the World. Although centuries old and famous world-wide, most people take for granted that it is called the Colosseum, or Colosseo in Italian, but that wasn't always the case. So how did the Colosseum get its name?

The Flavian Amphitheater The original name of the Colosseum that you may here at times even today was the "Amphitheatrum Flavium," or "Flavian Amphitheater." It's a little less catchy, but the origin of this name is pretty straightforward: it was commissioned and built by emperors of the Flavian Dynasty. So how did we go from "Flavian Amphitheater" to "Colosseum?" Is it simply derived from its colossal size? The Colosseum is the biggest Roman amphitheater in the world, but you might be surprised to hear that the name comes from a statue that once stood nearby. Gallery The Colossus of Nero The Colossus of Nero was an enormous 30 meter tall bronze statue, and was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Only ruins of the pedestal remain today. The famous epigram by Venerable Bede, "as long as the Colossus stands, so shall Rome; when the Colossus falls, Rome shall fall; when Rome falls, so falls the world," is often misquoted to refer to the Colosseum. In reality he is talking about the Colossus of Nero.

It would sound much more romantic for tourists in Rome today if he had been talking about the Colosseum. Since the Colossus of Nero did in fact fall, it looks like Bede knew his stuff when it came to falling statues and falling empires. Colosseum or Coliseum? You would think that after 2,000 years we would be clear on the name of this iconic structure, but even today there is some confusion about its spelling. The two common spellings are "Coliseum" and "Colosseum," and technically both are correct. Although there are exceptions, as a general rule think "Coliseum" with a capital C for the famous amphitheater in Rome, and coliseum with a lowercase c when referring to amphitheaters in general. So: the Colosseum is a coliseum. Of course, any other spelling you see - colisseum, colloseum, collosseum, colisium, collesium, colusium, and the list goes on and on - is just plain wrong. But no worries, once you come to Rome and see it in person, you will never mispell it again! Share now!

Colosseum - Ancient History Encyclopedia Colosseum by Mark Cartwright published on 06 November 2012 The Colosseum or Flavian Amphitheatre is a large ellipsoid arena built in the first century CE under the Roman emperors of the Flavian dynasty: Vespasian (69-79 CE), Titus (79-81 CE) and Domitian (81-96 AD). The arena was used to host spectacular public entertainment events such as gladiator fights, wild animal hunts and public executions from 80 CE to 404 CE. Purpose & Dimensions The construction of the Colosseum was begun in 72 CE in the reign of Vespasian on the site that was once the lake and gardens of Emperor Nero ’s Golden House. This was drained and as a precaution against potential earthquake damage concrete foundations six metres deep were put down. The building was part of a wider construction programme begun by Emperor Vespasian in order to restore Rome to its former glory prior to the turmoil of the recent civil war .

As Vespasian claimed on his coins with the inscription Roma resurgens, the new buildings --the Temple of Peace, Sanctuary of Claudius and the Colosseum-- would show the world that ‘resurgent’ Rome was still very much the centre of the ancient world. Remove Ads Advertisement The Flavian Amphitheatre (or Amphiteatrum Flavium as it was known to the Romans) opened for business in 80 CE in the reign of Titus, Vespasian’s eldest son, with a one hundred day gladiator spectacular and was finally completed in the reign of the other son, Domitian. The finished building was like nothing seen before and situated between the wide valley joining the Esquiline, Palatine and Caelian hills, it dominated the city . The biggest building of its kind, it had four stories and stood over 45 metres high (150 feet) and measured 189 x 156 metres across. The oval arena itself measured 87.5 m by 54.8 m. The theatre was principally built from locally quarried limestone with internal linking lateral walls of brick, concrete and volcanic stone (tufa).

Vaults were built of lighter pumice stone. The sheer size of the theatre was the possible origin of the popular name of Colosseo, however, a more likely origin may have been as a reference to the colossal gilded bronze statue of Nero which was converted to resemble the sun-god and which stood outside the theatre until the 4th century CE. Architecture The theatre was spectacular even from the outside with monumental open arcades on each of the first three floors presenting statue-filled arches. The first floor carried Doric columns, the second Ionic and the third level Corinthian. The top floor had Corinthian pilasters and small rectangular windows. There were no less than eighty entrances, seventy-six of these were numbered and tickets were sold for each. Two entrances were used for the gladiators, one of which was known as the Porta Libitina (the Roman goddess of death) and was the door through which the dead were removed from the arena. The other door was the Porta Sanivivaria through which victors and those allowed to survive the contests left the arena. The final two doors were reserved exclusively for the Emperor’s use.

Inside, the theatre must have been even more impressive when the three tiers of seats were filled with all sections of the populace. Encircling the arena was a wide marble terrace (podium) protected by a wall within which were the prestigious ring-side seats or boxes from where the Emperor and other dignitaries would watch the events. Beyond this area, marble seats were divided into zones: those for richer private citizens, middle class citizens, slaves and foreigners and finally wooden seats and standing room in the flat roofed colonnade on the top tier reserved for women and the poor. On top of this roof platform sailors were employed to manage the large awning (velarium) which protected the spectators from rain or provided shade on hot days. The different levels of seats were accessed via broad staircases with each landing and seat being numbered. The total capacity for the Colosseum was approximately 45,000 seated and 5,000 standing spectators. One of the oldest depictions of the Colosseum appeared on the coins of Titus and shows three tiers, statues in the upper external arches and the large column fountain - the Meta Sudans - which stood nearby.

Advertisement Emperors Titus and Claudius were noted for shouting at the gladiators From Their seats in the colosseum. The scene of all the action --the sanded arena floor-- was also eye-catching. It was often landscaped with rocks and trees to resemble exotic locations during the staging of wild animal hunts (venatiories). There were also ingenious underground lifting mechanisms which allowed for the sudden introduction of wild animals into the proceedings. On some occasions, notably the opening series of shows, the arena was flooded in order to host mock naval battles. Under the arena floor (and visible to the modern visitor) was a maze of small compartment rooms, corridors and animal pens. Games & Shows Although historically tied to earlier Etruscan games which emphasised the rites of death, the shows in the Roman arenas were designed simply to entertain, however, they also demonstrated the wealth and generosity of the Emperor and provided an opportunity for ordinary people to actually see their ruler in person. Emperors were usually present, even when they had no particular taste for the events such as Marcus Aurelius . Titus and Claudius were noted for shouting at the gladiators and other members of the crowd and Commodus himself performed in the arena hundreds of times.

One vestige of the earlier Etruscan tradition continued, however, with the presence of the attendant whose job was to finish off any fallen gladiator by a blow to the forehead. This attendant wore the mythical costume of either Charon (the Etruscan minister of Fate) or Hermes , the messenger god who accompanied the dead down to the underworld. The presence of the Vestal Virgins, the Pontifex Maximus and the divine Emperor also added a certain pseudo-religious element to the proceedings, at least in Rome. However, blood sports and death were the real purpose of the spectacular shows and an entire profession arose to meet the massive entertainment requirements of the populace - for example under Claudius there were 93 games a year. Spectacles often lasted from dawn till nightfall and the gladiators usually kicked-off the show with a chariot procession accompanied by trumpets and even a hydraulic organ and then dismounted and circled the arena, each saluting the emperor with the famous line: Ave, imperator, morituri te salutant! (Hail, Emperor, those who are about to die salute you!).

Flavian Amphitheatre (Bible History Online) Bible History Online Flavian Amphitheatre Illustration of the Colosseum (Flavian Amphitheatre) The Colosseum was the largest and most famous of all Roman amphitheaters. It was originally constructed by the Emperor Vespasian just after the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD., and was dedicated by his son Titus in 80 AD. The Flavian Amphitheater was constructed with the sweat of tens of thousands of Jews who were brought to Rome as prisoners after the destruction of Jerusalem. The immense cost of such a spectacular amphitheater was ultimately funded by the sacking of the Jerusalem treasury, which was located in the temple, which no longer stood. The Colosseum was known in ancient Rome as the Flavian Amphitheatre, named after the Flavian family who reigned in Imperial Rome. The building of the Colosseum was begun by Vespasian in 72 A.D., it was dedicated by Titus, and finally completed by Titus' younger son Domitian. The Flavian Amphitheatre was built in the valley between the Palatine, Caelian and Esquiline hills.

It was built over the site of Nero's man-made lake, which Roman engineers drained. The land Nero had confiscated for his private pleasures was turned into the world's largest arena for gladiatorial entertainment and combat. It could accommodate 70,000 spectators, who came to watch the games. The outer wall stood 157 feet high with four tiers of architecture rising to the top. The first, second, and third tiers each contained 80 arches. The fourth tier on top was solid, with 40 square windows. The shape of the Colosseum was oval, and measured about 600' x 480', and the arena itself was about 90' x 55'. A gladiator standing inside the arena could see all four tiers all the way to the top, with rows of spectators filling each tier. All around the arena was a large wall, above the wall was a pavilion where the Emperor and his family would sit, also the Vestal Virgins, and the highest officers of the state. Above on the next tier sat the Senators of Rome, the magistrates, ranking officers, and next to them were the male citizens.

On the top tier were the women, seated under a colonnade. The whole Colosseum was protected from the hot sun, and the rain by a large awning supported by masts. It is interesting to note that the Colosseum arena itself could be filled with water so that the spectators could enjoy a naval combat. The very top tier was originally constructed in wood which was destroyed by fire, and a new tier was built in 217 A.D. The very last documented performance took place in the 11th century A.D. From that point on there were other purposes for this great amphitheater, for example it was used as a great quarry for Roman architect. This explains much of the deterioration of over two thirds of the original structure. The "awful majesty of the Flavian amphitheater" as spoken by Gibbon, was somehow mysteriously identified with Rome and her destiny.

"While stands the Colosseum Rome shall stand; When falls the Colosseum Rome shall fall; And when Rome falls-- The world." -Lord Byron Many Christians were thrown to the wild beasts in the arena, yet the blood of the martyrs became the seed for the spread of Christianity in Rome, which overthrew it for all time. Christian Persecution in Easton's Bible Dictionary The Christian church passed through many bloody persecutions. Of subsequent centuries in our own and in other lands the same sad record may be made. Christians are forbidden to seek the propagation of the gospel by force (Matt. 7:1; Luke 9:54-56; Rom. 14:4; James 4:11, 12). The words of Ps. 7:13, "He ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors," ought rather to be, as in the Revised Version, "He maketh his arrows fiery [shafts]." Read Full Article Also See: Heart Message A Constant Craving Rome had so conquered its domain, achieving dominion, knowledge and wealth in varied disciplines of warfare, science, art, & architecture among others, that citizens had leisure and could enjoy the glorious civilization.

But nations, like individuals, when strife for survival is no longer demanding, can feel the emptiness inside of our fallen nature rather than being able to enjoy what was built. An entire population can become unruly when it has time on its hands. Governments should be directing their citizenï¿½s to higher aspirations, but without leadership, a people can fall to its baser instincts. Amusements have a shelf life before they become boring. A joke can only be told once and be funny. Wealth in our own time is producing darker and darker forms of entertainment as society is continually desensitized and requires more and more stimulation. The ugly bottom of this never-ending craving can become a bloodlust, the desire to see others suffer. The self-hatred inside an empty soul can be hyped up and projected towards a scapegoat who seems offensive enough to be blamed for oneï¿½s own fallen emotions. The Romans offered up the Christians who in faith to Christ were trying not to ride along with the corrupted culture but received the forgiveness of God and fullness of the Holy Spirit.

As Gladys Knight once sung, ï¿½Iï¿½d rather live in his world, than live without him in mine.ï¿½ The Bible mentions believers being "persecuted": Lamentations 3:43 - Thou hast covered with anger, and persecuted us: thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied. Psalms 143:3 - For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground; he hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead. Galatians 4:29 - But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him [that was born] after the Spirit, even so [it is] now. Deuteronomy 30:7 - And the LORD thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies, and on them that hate thee, which persecuted thee. Isaiah 14:6 - He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, [and] none hindereth.

Galatians 1:13 - For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: Psalms 109:16 - Because that he remembered not to shew mercy, but persecuted the poor and needy man, that he might even slay the broken in heart. Matthew 5:12 - Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great [is] your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. Acts 7:52 - Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: Acts 26:11 - And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled [them] to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted [them] even unto strange cities. John 15:20 - Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord.

If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. 1 Corinthians 4:12 - And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: Galatians 1:23 - But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed. Revelation 12:13 - And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man [child]. Psalms 119:161 - SCHIN. Princes have persecuted me without a cause: but my heart standeth in awe of thy word. Matthew 5:10 - Blessed [are] they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Acts 22:4 - And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women. 1 Corinthians 15:9 - For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

1 Thessalonians 2:15 - Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men: 2 Corinthians 4:9 - Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; The Bible also mentions a lot regarding "persecution": Acts 8:1 - And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. Acts 13:50 - But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts. Acts 11:19 - Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only.

Mark 4:17 - And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended. Galatians 6:12 - As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. Romans 8:35 - Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? [shall] tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Matthew 13:21 - Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. Galatians 5:11 - And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased. 2 Timothy 3:12 - Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

Lamentations 5:5 - Our necks [are] under persecution: we labour, [and] have no rest. The Bible also mentions a lot regarding "persecute": Psalms 69:26 - For they persecute [him] whom thou hast smitten; and they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded. Jeremiah 17:18 - Let them be confounded that persecute me, but let not me be confounded: let them be dismayed, but let not me be dismayed: bring upon them the day of evil, and destroy them with double destruction. Romans 12:14 - Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Flavian Amphitheatre | Article about Flavian Amphitheatre by The Free Dictionary Flavian Amphitheatre | Article about Flavian Amphitheatre by The Free Dictionary Also found in: Dictionary , Thesaurus , Wikipedia . Colosseum or Coliseum (both: kŏləsē`əm), Ital. Colosseo, common name of the Flavian Amphitheater in Rome, near the southeast end of the Forum, between the Palatine and Esquiline hills.

Begun by Vespasian, c.A.D. 75, and completed by his son Titus in A.D. 80, it is the most imposing of Roman antiquities. The vast four-storied oval is 617 ft (188 m) by 512 ft (156 m), much of which is still standing; it had tier on tier of marble seats accommodating c.45,000 spectators. It encloses an arena measuring 250 ft (76 m) by 151 ft (46 m) where gladiatorial combats were held (see gladiators gladiators [Lat.,=swordsmen], in ancient Rome, class of professional fighters, who performed for exhibition. Gladiatorial combats usually took place in amphitheaters. They probably were introduced from Etruria and originally were funeral games. ..... Click the link for more information. ) until 404. According to tradition, persecuted Christians were thrown there to beasts. The Colosseum has been damaged several times by earthquakes.

Bibliography Flavian Amphitheater - Napoli Unplugged Flavian Amphitheater StumbleUpon Tumblr Just up the hill from the port of Pozzuoli and the city’s first marketplace, the Temple of Serapis , sits the third largest amphitheater (149 x 116m) in Italy after the Colosseum in Rome and the amphitheater at Capua . Like its Roman counterpart, it is known as the Flavian Amphitheater or Amphitheatrum Flavium (Latin), presumably because it was constructed during the reign of the Flavian Dynasty (69 – 96 AD) and designed by the same architects responsible for the Colosseum. Some sources however attribute the amphitheater to Nero (Roman Emperor 54 to 68), dating its completion to sometime around 66 AD. One of two amphitheaters constructed in the ancient port town of Puteoli, the Flavian Amphitheater was the city’s prime venue for gladiator games, chariot races, animal slayings, and executions, and in its heyday, it held some 20,000 spectators.

One has to wonder how many spectators showed up on a fateful day in 305 AD for the “execution by wild beast” of seven men who were convicted of the crime of Christianity. Carried out by local authorities during the final days of the Diocletianic Persecutions , among the seven were: two laymen; two lectors; two Deacons, one of which would become San Procolo (Saint Proculus), Pozzuoli’s Patron Saint; and a Bishop from Benevento, who would become Naples Patron Saint, San Gennaro . All seven were cast to wild beasts; but when the animals came near the Saints, they fell affectionately at their feet and refused to harm them. The beasts it would seem were uncooperative, but the city’s thirst for blood would not go unquenched, and when the beasts didn’t kill them, they were beheaded at Solfatara . Excavated in the 19th century, much of the elliptical amphitheater’s structure is still intact today, the most impressive of which is the amphitheater’s well preserved subterranean passageways.

Open to the public, you can wander the amphitheater’s underground at your leisure where you’ll find ancient Roman arches, thick brick walls, fallen marble columns, and dark inlets which once housed the gladiators, their elaborate props, and of course, caged the wild beasts. Parking around the amphitheatre is limited so you might want to consider using public transportation. A ten minutes walk from the metro, take Metro Line 2 to the Pozzuoli Solfatara station, head right out of the station, then head right down the hill. Flavian Amphitheater Rome Reborn Flavian Amphitheater Known since the middle ages as the “Colosseum” because of the 100-foot-tall statue of the Sun god moved next to it by Hadrian (A.D. 76-138), this amphitheater was built by Vespasian in the valley between the Velia, the Esquiline and the Caelian Hills. The area had been a pond in the private gardens of Nero's Golden House. Vespasian restored it to public use for the popular animal hunts and gladiatorial games. The complex, which could hold ca.

45-50,000 spectators, replaced an earlier amphitheater elsewhere in the city that was destroyed in the great fire of A.D. 64. Despite the protest of Christian thinkers, the gladiatorial fights continued until well into the Christian period, ending in the fifth century A.D. The animal hunts continued a century longer. Amphitheatrum Flavium From Samuel Ball Platner, A Topographical Dictionary of Ancient Rome, rev. Thomas Ashby. Oxford: 1929, p. 6-11. Ordinarily known as the Colosseum, built by Vespasian, in the depression between the Velia, the Esquiline and the Caelian, a site previously occupied by the stagnum of Nero's domus Aurea (Suet. Vesp. 9; Mart. de spect. 2.5; Aur. Vict. Caes. 9.7). Vespasian carried the structure to the top of the second arcade of the outer wall and of the maenianum secundum of the cavea (see below), and dedicated it before his death in 79 A.D. (Chronogr. a.

354, p146). Titus added the third and fourth stories (ib.), and celebrated the dedication of the enlarged building in 80 with magnificent games that lasted one hundred days (Suet. Titus 7; Cass. Dio LXVI.25; Hieron a. Abr. 2095; Eutrop. vii.21; Cohen, Tit. 399, 400). Domitian is said to have completed the building ad clipea (Chron. ib.) which probably refers to the bronze shields that were placed directly beneath the uppermost cornice (cf. Cohen, Tit. 399) and to additions on the inside (HJ 282). View Full Article Additional source material Ancient Library Sources (from Peter Aicher, Rome Alive: A Source Guide to the Ancient City, vol. 1, Bolchazy-Carducci: 2004) [ Works cited ] 70. Colosseum (Amphitheatrum Flavii). Sources. 70.1. The Emperor Vespasian ordered a new amphitheater to be built from the booty [of the Jewish War in AD 70].

Inscription (see Claridge, p. 278)

Question: What is the Flavium Amphitheatre the correct name for
Answer: The Colosseum